In the western courtyard of the Bai residence, Jiang Xuanjin spotted him again, his eyes darkening slightly as he let out a soft scoff.
“Yufeng,” he said, “let him in.”
Lu Jingxing paused, his expression darkening further as he saw Jiang Xuanjin standing at the door of the side room. He pushed past Yufeng and, without a second thought, grabbed Jiang Xuanjin by the collar and slammed him against the door with a loud thud.
“Why are you here again?”
Jiang Xuanjin glanced down at his wrinkled collar, frowning slightly. He swiftly pushed Lu Jingxing back two steps and smoothed out the creases in his clothing.
“That’s a question for you, Master Lu.”
What did it mean for an outsider to keep running into Bai Zhuji’s boudoir?
With narrowed eyes, Lu Jingxing had no intention of lingering with him. He coldly snorted and walked past Jiang Xuanjin toward the bed.
The person on the bed lay on her side, eyes tightly shut, her face pale as if she were the same as when Dan Yang had poisoned herself and lay on the soft couch in Feiyun Palace.
His heart tightened. Lu Jingxing reached out to check her breath.
Jiang Xuanjin stood behind him and said, “There’s no need to check; she’s still alive.”
Ignoring him, Lu Jingxing insisted on feeling for her breath before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.
Yesterday, he had gone to Han Xiaofu to discuss matters at her request and had no idea she had suffered so greatly. Upon returning, he heard from his informants that Fourth Miss Bai was “in grave danger,” which prompted him to scale the wall and come to the Bai residence. Looking at her condition, she was still alive, but it was clear she had endured considerable suffering.
He took out a small box made of nanmu wood and opened it, preparing to feed a small pill to Huaiyu.
“What are you doing?” Jiang Xuanjin frowned and quickly intercepted him.
Lu Jingxing snapped, “What do you think I’m doing? You’ve seen her take this medicine before; can’t you recognize it?”
With that, he brushed Jiang Xuanjin’s hand aside and forced the pill into Huaiyu’s mouth. After glancing around, he poured her some tea and fed it to her, his movements fluid and familiar, as if they were long-time friends.
“Who did this to her?” After seeing her swallow the pill, Lu Jingxing finally turned to Jiang Xuanjin, his face serious.
Jiang Xuanjin stared at the person on the bed for a moment. After confirming she had no adverse reactions to the pill, he reached out to check her pulse before answering, “Madam Bai.”
“Madam Bai?” Lu Jingxing was somewhat surprised. “The daughter of the medicine merchant Meng Hengyuan, Bai Dezhong’s legitimate wife, Bai Mengshi?”
“Yes.”
Looking at Li Huaiyu’s injuries, Lu Jingxing frowned. “After all, she is the mother of Fourth Miss Bai. How could she be so ruthless?”
After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Did Bai Dezhong not seek justice for Fourth Miss?”
“After all, they are family,” Jiang Xuanjin replied nonchalantly. “A few scoldings and a couple of slaps are all that happened. What else could be done?”
Madam Bai’s behavior today was indeed outrageous, yet Bai Dezhong had not punished her severely. When the Jiang family left, he merely scolded her to reflect in her room and said nothing more.
Lu Jingxing snapped his folding fan shut with a loud clap, his brows furrowing. “This is utterly unreasonable! You, the esteemed Ziyang Jun, can just let such injustice slide?”
“It’s ultimately a family matter for the Bai family,” Jiang Xuanjin replied. “I can’t just punish Bai Yushi’s wife.”
Indeed… it was inappropriate for outsiders to intervene in such matters. Lu Jingxing clenched the fan tightly, glancing at the person on the bed, suddenly reminiscing about the time when Princess Dan Yang was still around.
The princess was known for her domineering ways; once she determined someone was a villain, regardless of whose family matter it was or which noble lady was being favored, she would find a reason to imprison them, leaving them unable to live or die!
He had previously criticized her methods, feeling they were morally questionable. But now, faced with such a situation, Lu Jingxing thought that Dan Yang’s approach was quite satisfying; at least it wouldn’t allow evildoers to roam free without consequence.
“Do you know Bai Mengshi’s father?” Just as he was lost in thought, Ziyang Jun suddenly asked.
Lu Jingxing snapped back to reality, irritated. “Meng Hengyuan is a prominent merchant in the capital; how could I not know him?”
“If I remember correctly, someone reported this person to the capital’s yamen last month,” Jiang Xuanjin said. “If Master Lu has the time, you might as well inquire about it and see who reported him and what it was about, and why there has been no further news since.”
At these words, Lu Jingxing was taken aback.
This sounded like he wanted to cause trouble for the Meng family. But looking at the righteous man before him, he shook his head, feeling it was unlikely.
Everyone knew that Ziyang Jun never meddled in others’ affairs; how could he possibly seek trouble with the Meng family just because Bai Zhuji had suffered? Perhaps it was just a coincidence with another case.
Regardless, Lu Jingxing was more than willing to help investigate Meng Hengyuan, so he nodded in agreement.
For the first time, two sworn enemies found themselves in harmony, all because of the unconscious Li Huaiyu. However, this harmony lasted less than the time it took to burn half a stick of incense.
“Shouldn’t you be leaving?” Jiang Xuanjin observed him sitting by the bed without any intention of moving, slightly displeased.
Lu Jingxing retorted, “I’m not in a hurry to be reborn; I should at least wait for her to wake up and say a few words, right?”
“What’s there to say?” Jiang Xuanjin’s gaze darkened. “Are you that close to her?”
After so many years of being friends, he was certainly closer to her than this murderer. Lu Jingxing snorted, spreading his fan to shield his chest, raising an eyebrow at him. “What, are you jealous?”
“Why would I be jealous?”
“Then why say such sour words?” Lu Jingxing scoffed. “You sound just like when you didn’t like me being close to Dan Yang.”
In the past, when Princess Dan Yang was mingling with him, Jiang Xuanjin had been quite displeased, almost putting up a notice at the palace gates stating, “Lu Jingxing and dogs are not allowed inside.” Whenever they met in the palace, he would always wear a gloomy face and throw a few jabs at him.
Lu Jingxing even suspected that Jiang Xuanjin had feelings for Dan Yang.
Meeting Jiang Xuanjin’s meaningful gaze, he paused, then let out a cold laugh.
Why didn’t he like Lu Jingxing being close to Dan Yang? At the age of twenty, he was appointed as the etiquette tutor for the young emperor and the princess, teaching them how to stand, walk, sit, and the principles of right and wrong. Li Huaiyin was relatively obedient, but the Dan Yang princess, Li Huaiyu, was unruly; not only did she associate with merchants, but she also invited someone like Lu Jingxing into the palace to drink, disrupting the palace’s order and drawing criticism from officials and ridicule from the public.
In such circumstances, how could he expect to treat Lu Jingxing with any kindness?
“However, you treat Zhuji much better than you did Dan Yang.” Noticing the familiar string of Buddhist beads on Huaiyu’s hand, Lu Jingxing’s expression turned complex. “It seems that lively and adorable young girls are more endearing.”
His tone was strange, sounding both mocking and resentful.
Jiang Xuanjin thought he was speaking up for Dan Yang and snorted softly, glancing at the person on the bed.
Princess Dan Yang and Fourth Miss Bai were two extremes: one was deeply scheming, while the other was foolishly innocent; one held power over the court, while the other faced a troubled fate. Anyone would treat the latter better, so what was there to be unfair about?
Just as he was observing, the person on the bed suddenly stirred.
Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback, moving forward to sit at the head of the bed and checking her eyelids.
Li Huaiyu had been in a deep sleep all day, feeling as if her body was alternately burning in fire and frying in oil, her mind filled with a buzzing, piercing sound. Just as the fire subsided and the oil dried up, she felt utterly weak and couldn’t open her eyes.
Just as she was struggling, someone suddenly helped her, bringing a ray of light into her world.
Dazed, she half-opened her eyes, taking a while to adapt to her surroundings. Feeling uncomfortable in her position, she tried to move, but pain surged through her limbs.
“Ugh.” Huaiyu frowned and let out a muffled groan.
Immediately, someone next to her scolded, “What are you moving for?”
The voice was fierce, making her heart tremble. Struggling to move her eyes, Huaiyu saw Jiang Xuanjin, whose eyes were bloodshot.
Ziyang Jun had high standards for his appearance; even when she had jumped on him from the wall, he had maintained his composure and elegance. What was going on now that he looked so haggard?
Huaiyu wanted to tease him, but the pain was too severe. Her pale lips quivered for a while, but she ultimately couldn’t utter a word.
“I know what you want to say,” Jiang Xuanjin said, looking at her with an unfriendly gaze, almost gritting his teeth. “Do you think it was me who got dragged into this?”
Huaiyu inhaled sharply, baring her teeth in a smile.
Seeing her expression, Jiang Xuanjin angrily realized that not only was he not angry, but his throat also felt a bit tight.
Turning his head away awkwardly, he looked at Lu Jingxing beside him. “She’s awake. You talk to her, then leave.”
Lu Jingxing rolled his eyes at him, mimicking his tone. “Are you in a hurry to be reborn? I’m not in a rush.”
Huaiyu couldn’t help but laugh, pulling at her wounds and gasping in pain.
Jiang Xuanjin shot her a stern look. “Do you think you’re too tough?”
Huaiyu blinked pitifully: No, I don’t!
Still laughing? Jiang Xuanjin was increasingly displeased, his gaze toward Lu Jingxing growing colder. “She’s awake; Bai Yushi will come over. If you don’t mind, then don’t leave.”
Lu Jingxing’s hand holding the fan stiffened.
He had climbed over the wall to come here; if he ran into Bai Dezhong, that would be awkward.
Irritated, he shot Jiang Xuanjin a glance, then stood up, taking out a blue-and-white porcelain bottle from his sleeve and placing it by the bed.
“This is a precious medicine; I brought the rest. You can take it; it’s only beneficial, not harmful. You look weak, so don’t overexert yourself. When you have the strength to speak, let Lingxiu inform me.”
After a moment’s thought, he added, “It’s best to do it when that annoying person isn’t around.”
Li Huaiyu shifted her gaze to him, her eyelids fluttering: Got it!
The “annoying person” beside her coldly said, “Take care.”
With a huff, Lu Jingxing shook his fan and turned to leave quickly.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at the medicine bottle on the bed, saying indifferently, “He treats you quite well, sending you clothes, jewelry, and precious medicine.”
Hearing this, Huaiyu gently moved her nostrils.
“What are you sniffing for?” he asked, puzzled.
Pouting, she finally uttered a single word: “Jealousy.”
Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened. “Is this the time for nonsense?”
This was no-nonsense; it was solid evidence! If she had the strength to speak, Li Huaiyu would tease him. But for now… she could only move her eyes, trying to convey her meaning.
However, just as her eyes were darting around, Jiang Xuanjin reached out, taking a clean white cloth from the side and tying it around her eyes.
Huaiyu: “…”
Was this too much?
She opened her mouth, feeling quite wronged, wanting to argue for her position as a patient, but unexpectedly, her lips felt soft.
Something cold brushed against her lips, gently rubbing once, and then the sensation disappeared.
Li Huaiyu froze, pressing her lips together, unable to regain her senses for a long time.
This breath… did he just kiss her?
“Just rest,” Jiang Xuanjin’s voice came from the front, cold and serious. “I’ll go prepare some porridge.”
With that, he stood up and walked out the door.
His voice sounded so normal, as if nothing had happened. Huaiyu remained stiff for a moment, feeling she might have overthought it. How could Jiang Xuanjin kiss her? He must have just seen something on her lips and reached out to wipe it off.
She was overthinking it!
Shaking her head gently, Huaiyu continued to rest her eyes. With the white cloth covering her eyes, she couldn’t see the light or the surroundings, nor could she see Ziyang Jun’s slightly reddened ears as he walked out.
Fourth Miss Bai finally woke up!
As soon as this news spread, the Bai family members rushed to the western courtyard.
Bai Dezhong was naturally the first to arrive. When he sat by the bed, Li Huaiyu had already eaten a bowl of medicinal porridge and had the strength to speak. However, she didn’t want to deal with Bai Dezhong, so she simply pretended to be mute.
“Just now, I asked the physician, and she said your external injuries will heal in half a month, but your internal injuries need to be nurtured slowly. The Jiang family sent a lot of medicinal materials, and I’ve handed them all over to Lingxiu.”
Bai Dezhong still maintained his stern demeanor, his tone stiff, but his words were kind. “This room is too small; I’ll have someone tidy up the main house in the southern courtyard. That place is spacious and suitable for your recovery.”
After receiving a beating from the family, it seemed Bai Dezhong had finally come to care for her. Huaiyu was quite surprised; she had no idea what had happened while she was unconscious, only feeling that this old man suddenly seemed much more agreeable.
If Bai Dezhong’s demeanor could be considered “agreeable,” then the Bai family relatives who came to see her next could be described as “flattering.”
“Zhuji, you must take care of yourself and recover soon! We’re all waiting to drink your wedding wine.”
“Aunt was so worried while you were unconscious; she even went to the temple to light a peace incense for you.”
“Look at these injuries; it’s truly pitiful! Bai Mengshi has gone too far! Zhuji, don’t worry; we will make Dezhong give you an explanation.”
After expressionlessly sending off these unfamiliar faces, once the door closed, she finally hoarsely asked Lingxiu, “Am I going to ascend the throne tomorrow?”
Lingxiu was startled by her words and instinctively glanced at Ziyang Jun, shaking her head anxiously. “Don’t talk nonsense!”
“I’m not talking nonsense,” Huaiyu replied, puzzled. “If I weren’t going to ascend the throne, why would they be so attentive?”
Lingxiu whispered, “You are about to marry the emperor as his wife, and you will be a noble consort. Those people have offended you before, so they must hurry to curry favor now.”
Huaiyu was taken aback, stiffly turning her neck to face Jiang Xuanjin. “Did you handle everything?”
Jiang Xuanjin nodded after closing the last document.
Impressive! She didn’t have to do anything and could just bask in his shade? Huaiyu thought happily; this feeling of being protected was quite nice.
“Oh, right, it’s already this late; why hasn’t the kitchen sent the medicine?” Lingxiu wondered, looking outside. After a moment, she said, “I’ll go check the kitchen.”
Jiang Xuanjin nodded, watching Lingxiu run out. Once he set down the documents in his hand, he stood up.
“I’ll return this to you.” He took out the golden hairpin adorned with eight treasures and placed it beside her. “It’s getting late; I should head back.”
Upon hearing this, Huaiyu pouted unhappily.
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at her. “What’s wrong?”
“When you were sick, I stayed by your side without leaving,” she said, feeling wronged. “But now, I’m in such a miserable state, and you want to leave?”
As she spoke, her brows drooped, and her eyes glistened with tears.
Jiang Xuanjin replied irritably, “Is it appropriate for me to stay in your room?”
“What’s inappropriate about it?” she countered. “We’re already engaged; you should stay to take care of me. Others will surely praise you for being loyal and righteous; who would dare speak ill of you?”
Jiang Xuanjin was momentarily speechless, frowning. “You really can talk; does your body not hurt?”
“It hurts…” Huaiyu grimaced, her eyes watery as she acted spoiled. “This time it hurts, especially my back; I was hit with twenty lashes.”
His heart tightened slightly, and Jiang Xuanjin sat back down beside the bed, his expression darkening as he asked, “Why were you punished?”
“What else could it be?” Huaiyu grunted. “The Bai mother and daughter didn’t want me to have it easy. They found an excuse to beat me. I wouldn’t back down, so I fought with the servants.”
After catching her breath, she continued, “I was quite impressive, taking down several of them by myself, but I just didn’t have enough strength; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been pinned down in the end.”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her with a sinister gaze. “Should I commend you for your extraordinary martial arts?”
“Too much praise,” she grinned. “I can’t be considered extraordinary; just say I’m agile enough.”
“…”
Jiang Xuanjin let out a cold laugh, his voice like an iceberg, causing Li Huaiyu to instantly quiet down.
“It hurts so much…” she weakly complained.
With a serious expression, Jiang Xuanjin went to find the medicine Lu Jingxing had left behind and fed her a pill. As he pressed the medicine into her mouth, she moved slightly.
“What are you fussing about now?” he asked, annoyed, following her gaze down to see her straining to move her hand.
Huaiyu remained silent, focusing all her strength on her hand, enduring the pain in her arm as she slowly moved her fingers toward his hand.
The two hands were so close, yet she had to exert great effort to touch him.
Jiang Xuanjin was taken aback, feeling as if something had lightly scratched his heart, making him instinctively raise his hand to touch hers.
Huaiyu broke into a smile, her eyes sparkling with joy. Jiang Xuanjin stared at her for a moment, then sternly withdrew his hand.
“Are you bored?” he asked coldly.
Li Huaiyu chuckled, not saying a word.
When Lingxiu returned with the medicine, she saw Ziyang Jun sitting by the bed, his face slightly flushed and his eyes filled with displeasure, while her young lady lay half-turned on the bed, grinning mischievously.
This scene was somewhat embarrassing to walk into. But glancing at the tray of medicine, Lingxiu still lowered her head and approached, handing the medicine bowl to Jiang Xuanjin.
Jiang Xuanjin blew on the medicine and brought it to her lips. Huaiyu caught a whiff of the bitter taste and frowned. “I don’t want to drink it.”
“Do you think this is a market where you can haggle?” he glared.
“Do I have to drink it?”
“Of course!”
“Then you try it first,” Huaiyu said, holding a grudge. “I helped you try it before.”
She had even downed an entire bowl!
“…” Jiang Xuanjin thought, “It’s better to offend a villain than a woman.” Looking at the person before him, it had been so long since that incident, yet she still remembered it.
Glancing around the room, Cheng Xu and Yufeng were waiting outside. He thought that if he took a quick sip, they probably wouldn’t see him. Jiang Xuanjin quickly scooped a spoonful of medicine and swallowed it.
Huaiyu anxiously asked, “Is it bitter?”
After swallowing the medicine, he replied, “Testing the medicine is to check for toxicity, not bitterness.”
“How could medicine be toxic? I just want to know the taste.” She frowned.
Jiang Xuanjin was about to say, “It’s very bitter, but you still have to drink it,” when the word “very” barely left his mouth before he felt a sweetness in his throat. Frowning, he tried to suppress it, but his heart began to ache. After struggling for a moment, he couldn’t hold it back and bent down to spit out a mouthful of blood.
The dark color splattered on the ground, leaving a palm-sized stain that was shocking to behold.
The suddenness of the blood made Huaiyu jump, her eyes widening in shock, but her body couldn’t move. She could only shout hoarsely, “Lingxiu, quickly give him a pill!”
Lingxiu hurriedly complied, pouring out a pill from the blue-and-white porcelain bottle and handing it to him with water. Then she turned to call Cheng Xu and Yufeng outside.
“Don’t make a fuss,” Jiang Xuanjin swallowed the medicine and frowned. “I’m fine.”
The bowl of medicine had a problem, but he had only taken a small sip, so he shouldn’t be in mortal danger. If those two came in now, the entire Bai residence would likely be implicated.
Huaiyu frowned at him, struggling to shift closer to the bed, then hoarsely said, “You should lie down for a while.”
Lie down beside her? What nonsense! Jiang Xuanjin shook his head, continuing to sit and regulate his internal energy. Lingxiu didn’t dare move, and Huaiyu also stared at him in silence, leaving the room in a moment of quiet.
After a while, Jiang Xuanjin opened his eyes, and his complexion much improved.
“The medicine Lu Jingxing sent is indeed a rare treasure; you should take one every day. Let them prepare the soup and medicine for you.”
Li Huaiyu looked at the bowl of medicine on the low table with a complex expression. “If I know someone has ulterior motives, why let them prepare it?”
“Evidence,” he replied.
Huaiyu immediately understood Jiang Xuanjin’s intention, but after coughing twice, she sighed. “It’s useless; if I were truly poisoned to death, this could serve as evidence in court. But since I’m not dead, even if I know there’s a problem with the medicine, I can’t do anything about it.”
In the Bai residence, the only ones bold enough to poison her and want her dead were Bai Xuanji and her mother. If it were discovered that they were responsible, Bai Dezhong would surely, like this time favoring Bai Mengshi, not bring them to court. No matter how much evidence there was, it would ultimately come to nothing; what use was it?
Jiang Xuanjin didn’t respond, pondering for a moment before quietly saying, “It seems I need to stay in the Bai residence for a few more days.”
Fortunately, he had tasted it first; if he hadn’t, her hard-won life would have been lost again. The Bai residence was fraught with danger, and her injuries weren’t healed yet; how could he leave?
Huaiyu looked at him, quite moved, and smiled. “Good.”
If he wanted to stay, she certainly wouldn’t refuse. Lying in bed without moving was incredibly boring; having someone around to tease and amuse her was a delightful thing! Moreover, if someone wanted to harm her, Jiang Xuanjin would investigate, saving her trouble and putting her at ease—what could be better?
That evening, Jiang Xuanjin and Li Huaiyu moved from the western courtyard side room to the main house in the southern courtyard. Although the stretcher jolted her body painfully, looking at the spacious and exquisite room, Huaiyu was still very happy.
Upon hearing the news, Bai Dezhong knew that Ziyang Jun would continue to stay in the residence to take care of her, so he hurriedly had the side room next to the southern courtyard main house tidied up. The meaning was clear: taking care of the patient was fine, but one still had to pay attention to propriety.
Jiang Xuanjin was compliant; once the side room was tidied up, he took a nap. Having not closed his eyes for two days and being injured by poison, he slept very soundly, waking up the next day at noon.
Compared to the weakness he felt when he first woke up, Huaiyu was much more spirited today. After taking the medicine, the pain throughout her body had eased considerably, and her voice was louder.
“With you here, my meals have improved a lot,” she smiled at him.
Jiang Xuanjin walked over, glancing at the dishes on the table. He then looked at Lingxiu, who was holding something to feed her, and asked, “Have they all been tested for poison?”
Huaiyu nodded. “Silver needles have been used, and the physician has checked; there’s no problem.”
Nodding, he sat down at the table and quietly began to eat. One of the Jiang family’s rules was: no talking while eating. So every time he picked up his chopsticks, Jiang Xuanjin wouldn’t speak.
However, the person behind him was like a loud sparrow, chattering away as soon as she saw him. “I felt so miserable yesterday; I could hardly speak, thinking I’d be half-dead for a long time. But today, I woke up and found my throat was better first.”
“The physician said I was too noisy; she said the other young ladies she had seen were all gentle and quiet when sick, but she had never seen someone as talkative as me.”
“By the way, the robe you’re wearing today looks nice.”
A vein throbbed on Jiang Xuanjin’s forehead as he put down his chopsticks and turned around. “Can you shut up?”
Huaiyu, caught off guard while chewing on a vegetable, felt quite wrong. “Lingxiu said you were very worried about me before; why are you yelling at me now?”
Who was worried about her? Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes turned cold. “If I had known you would be this noisy after saving you, I should have just let go and not cared.”
Swallowing the vegetable, Huaiyu smiled sweetly. “Stop being stubborn; I know you care.”
In the past, when she said he cared, it was merely teasing him. But now, Li Huaiyu realized that he genuinely began to care for her, not just because she had dragged it out of him.
This was a great thing.
Glancing at her disdainfully, Jiang Xuanjin turned back to continue eating.
Having not attended court for two days, many in the court were inquiring about what had happened to Ziyang Jun, even the emperor asked about it in the court. Thus, Bai Dezhong had no choice but to step forward and explain.
As a result, the humorous poem “The beauty of the Bai residence bends the knee, from now on the emperor does not attend court early” spread from the court to the streets, shocking the citizens of the capital: it turned out that the astonishing betrothal gifts from the Jiang family were not for Jiang Yan to marry Bai Erji, but for Ziyang Jun to marry Fourth Miss Bai?
In an instant, countless people rushed to the Bai residence to visit, claiming to inquire about her illness, but in reality, they wanted to see the rumored “Ziyang Jun, who was so lovesick.”
Jiang Xuanjin was in a bad mood, waving his hand to close the southern courtyard’s door, not allowing anyone in, including Cheng Xu and Yufeng.
Li Huaiyu lay on the bed, smiling with her eyes curved. “It seems quite lively outside?”
Glancing at her, Jiang Xuanjin said, “If you talk more, I’ll throw you out too.”
With her mouth shut, Huaiyu fell silent, but the smile still sparkled in her eyes.
“Miss, Your Highness,” Lingxiu entered with the medicine, informing them as usual, “The afternoon medicine has arrived.”
A dark bowl of medicinal soup, smelling similar to what he had tasted before. Jiang Xuanjin didn’t let Lingxiu put it back in the cabinet but instead handed it to Cheng Xu.
“Go find someone to identify the medicinal materials inside,” he instructed. “Be discreet; don’t let anyone see.”
“Yes,” Cheng Xu replied and left.
Huaiyu watched lazily, yawning as she shifted her body to lie on Jiang Xuanjin’s leg.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his tone unfriendly.
Feeling wronged, she clutched his hand and said, “It’s uncomfortable lying on the pillow.”
If the pillow was uncomfortable, was lying on his leg comfortable? Jiang Xuanjin’s face darkened. “Just because I don’t want to argue with a patient doesn’t mean you can take advantage of me!”
“Look at you, you’re scolding me again!” Huaiyu adjusted her position, comfortably lying down. “How can this be taking advantage? I’m your future wife.”
“Have you forgotten what I said?” Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “Our marriage is a temporary measure.”
Compared to the bridal chamber, he might prefer the Buddhist hall. When she entered his home, they would still live separately.
Yawning, Huaiyu couldn’t be bothered to discuss this with him. Since he hadn’t pushed her away, she rubbed her face against his leg and closed her eyes to sleep.
The fabric of Jiang Xuanjin’s robe was thin; as she rubbed against him, he could almost feel her face. Stiffening, he looked down at her with a gaze as if she were a monster.
As he stared, he noticed her unbound hair cascading over him, long and smooth, making him want to…
By the time he realized what he was doing, his hand had already moved.
What a calamity!
Half an hour later, Lu Jingxing entered with Cheng Xu, and what he saw was a scene reminiscent of a poem: “Uncombed hair from the night before, strands falling over her shoulders. Leaning on the gentleman’s knee, where could one not feel pity?”
Lu Jingxing’s face darkened as he kicked the door.
With a loud bang, Huaiyu woke up, dazedly turning her head.
“Master Lu?” she blinked. “Why are you here at this hour?”
Moving a stool to sit by the bed, Lu Jingxing asked her seriously, “Are you going to marry this person?”
Huaiyu naturally knew what Lu Jingxing was worried about. Rubbing her head, she struggled to sit up from Jiang Xuanjin’s leg, pondering how to explain.
Feeling a chill on her leg, Jiang Xuanjin tightened his jaw, turning to look at the person on the bed.
“Your Highness,” Huaiyu cautiously asked, “Can I speak to Master Lu alone for a moment?”
Well, since Lu Jingxing had come, she was eager to avoid suspicion with him and wanted to speak alone. Jiang Xuanjin let out a cold laugh, wanting to tell her that even if they weren’t married yet, not adhering to the rules of a wife would still get her punished!
Once this thought crossed his mind, he caught a whiff of sourness.
Slightly taken aback, his hostility dissipated, and after a moment of shock, he found it somewhat amusing. What was he doing? Was he concerned about her? Just a moment ago, he had been thinking of living separately, and now he was pondering these chaotic thoughts, slapping himself in the face.
Standing up, Jiang Xuanjin walked out without looking back, closing the door behind him.
Let her say whatever she wanted; after all, he was just a friend, and it was none of his business.
Once the door closed, Huaiyu sighed. “Do you think it’s bad for me to marry him?”
“Is there anything good about it?” Lu Jingxing was practically furious. “You said you wanted to marry Jiang Yan to get close to Jiang Xuanjin; I had no objections since Jiang Yan is just a young boy you can easily handle. But Jiang Xuanjin? Have you forgotten what this person has done?”
“I haven’t forgotten,” Huaiyu leaned against the headboard, glancing at the bruises on her hand. “It’s precisely because I haven’t forgotten that I think marrying him is better.”
As a niece, she would have to follow many rules, and her chances of getting close to him would be limited. But as a consort, it would be different; she could gradually gain Jiang Xuanjin’s trust, learn his most significant secrets, use him to achieve her goals, and then send him to his death!
Such a revenge plan was far more interesting than simply killing him.
Lu Jingxing furrowed his brows tightly. “I can help with whatever you want to do, but this method is too dangerous.”
“Jingxing,” she smiled at him. “You have to believe me; there’s nothing I can’t accomplish.”
Yes, over the years, she had achieved everything she wanted. But in the end? Lu Jingxing lowered his eyes, nearly losing his grip on the jade fan in his hand.
“Did you come back to life just to seek revenge?” he asked hoarsely.
Thinking about this question for a moment, Huaiyu replied, “Not just that, but it’s the thing I can do best right now.”
As she spoke, she smiled again. “While doing this, I might even be able to help Huailin.”
Huailin, that was Li Huailin. Lu Jingxing chuckled, finally understanding. “The person you love most is your brother and the one you hate most is Jiang Xuanjin.”
So she came back to life to ensure Li Huailin’s well-being and to see Jiang Xuanjin dead.
What about him?
Hearing his voice sounded a bit off, Huaiyu was startled. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” he said, fanning himself to cover his eyes. After a brief pause, he returned to normal. “I just feel a bit angry that I can’t dissuade you.”
“Oh, what’s there to be angry about? You’ve known my temper for a long time,” Huaiyu comforted him. “Since you can’t dissuade me, why not encourage me?”
“Encourage you?” Lu Jingxing rolled his eyes, putting down the fan. “You refuse to listen to my good advice and insist on going your way; if something happens to you in the future, I won’t care, and you still want encouragement?”
With that, he stood up, flicking his sleeve as he prepared to leave.
“Hey!” Huaiyu quickly called out to him. “Are you really angry?”
Lu Jingxing didn’t look back, coldly snorting. “I didn’t come here to find you today; Jiang Xuanjin asked me to help with something, and I need to tell him.”
“Huh?” Huaiyu was shocked. “You’re helping him?”
“Who do you think I’m doing this for?”
Throwing down this sentence, Lu Jingxing opened the door and left.
Li Huaiyu leaned against the headboard, frowning as she watched his retreating figure, vaguely feeling that something was off, but she couldn’t pinpoint what was wrong.
Jiang Xuanjin was in the guest room copying Buddhist scriptures. After copying more than half a page, Lu Jingxing finally came to find him.
“Meng Hengyuan was reported to the court for privately selling banned medicines,” he said as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. “This is a serious charge, but the person who reported him had no power or influence and was merely venting personal grievances, so it was eventually dropped.”
Pausing his writing, Jiang Xuanjin looked up at him. “Banned medicines?”
“Yes, the court has issued documents prohibiting the sale of several precious and special medicinal materials in the civilian market; only the palace can have them. Meng Hengyuan, being in the medicinal business, naturally knows which items cannot be sold. However, he is very greedy and disregards everything for profit. Some people who dislike him would inevitably seize the opportunity to report him.”
However, Meng Hengyuan was Bai Dezhong’s father-in-law and had connections with other officials in the court, so it wouldn’t be easy to convict him.
Jiang Xuanjin set down his brush and nodded. “Thank you.”
Looking at him, Lu Jingxing scoffed. “What are you thanking me for? Just consider it an early congratulatory gift.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xuanjin raised his eyes. “The first merchant in the capital sends a few words as a congratulatory gift?”
“A few words are enough for your congratulatory gift,” Lu Jingxing said with a forced smile. “As for Zhuji, I’ll prepare something separately.”
The betrothal gifts were given yesterday, but this person hadn’t said a word to him, causing him to nearly have a heart attack when he heard the news on the street today!
What was he thinking?
The more he looked at Jiang Xuanjin’s face, the angrier he became. Lu Jingxing angrily waved his sleeve. “I’ll take my leave!”
Seeing him in such a furious state, Jiang Xuanjin’s previously gloomy heart suddenly brightened.
“Master Lu, take care,” he said. “Once the wedding invitation is written, I will send someone to deliver it to your residence.”
He would choose the most prominent and red-lettered invitation to send.
With a loud bang, Lu Jingxing kicked his door again.
Jiang Xuanjin smirked, putting away the Buddhist scriptures and saying to Yufeng, “Bring me the list of banned medicines from the court.”
“Yes,” Yufeng replied and left.
That evening, Huaiyu finally waited for Jiang Xuanjin to come to her room, excitedly saying, “My hand doesn’t hurt as much anymore!”
The bruises on her wrist were mostly from the fight, and they weren’t the worst. Jiang Xuanjin looked at her expressionless, coldly responding with an “Mm.”
Li Huaiyu, feeling unhappy, said, “Why have you turned back into this state?”
He had been fine before, hugging her and feeding her water. Was it winter outside, or what? Did a trip outside freeze him back into an iceberg?
Sitting down at the table, Jiang Xuanjin said, “I’ve found out some things.”
“Hmm? What things?”
He handed her two sheets of paper, asking, “Can you read?”
Of course, she could! She had even learned calligraphy with him! Li Huaiyu pouted, gesturing for Lingxiu to pass the papers to her, then held them in her hands to look.
Both sheets contained names of medicinal materials; one list had names she recognized, all of which were available in the palace. The other list was more ordinary, resembling a prescription.
However, one name on this ordinary prescription matched one on the other list.
A little blood.
Startled, Li Huaiyu said, “This prescription wouldn’t be for the bowl of medicine you drank, would it?”
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her in surprise. “How did you know?”
“This little blood is a poison,” Huaiyu instinctively replied. “You drank that bowl of medicine and spat blood; it might have been this that harmed you.”
He had intended to keep her in suspense and explain later, but he hadn’t expected her to know. Jiang Xuanjin stood up, frowning at her. “How do you know that little blood is a poison?”
This medicinal material was a banned substance, only available in the palace; how would a young lady from the Bai residence recognize it?
Realizing something was wrong, Li Huaiyu’s eyes darted, and she smiled. “What’s so strange about it? My father has many medical books in his study; I’ve seen them before. I didn’t remember much, but I remembered the illustrations.”
As she spoke, she gestured, “This small red fruit is called little blood, ‘extremely poisonous. Consuming it leads to coughing blood and death.’—this is all written in the medical books.”
Her eyes were clear, showing no signs of guilt, indicating she wasn’t lying. Jiang Xuanjin pursed his lips, secretly scolding himself for being overly suspicious, and slowly sat back down. “That’s right; this prescription was derived from the medicine I had Cheng Xu find based on what was brewed for you. The other one is a banned substance.”
Feeling surprised, Li Huaiyu widened her eyes, trying to appear like an innocent fool. “A banned substance?”
“Yes, which means this medicine shouldn’t be found in the civilian market, yet it appeared in your bowl.” Jiang Xuanjin continued, “Coincidentally, Bai Mengshi’s father, Meng Hengyuan, is a medicine merchant who was reported last month for selling banned medicines.”
Putting the two together, it became clear who wanted to harm her.
Huaiyu was stunned for a moment before asking him, “Are you planning to go after Meng Hengyuan?”
That was a harsh way to put it. Jiang Xuanjin frowned. “If someone has done something wrong and is still at large, I will use evidence to bring them to justice; how is that going after them?”
“Alright, alright, bring them to justice!” Huaiyu laughed. “So, are you planning to take the evidence to the palace to report him?”
Report a civilian merchant? Jiang Xuanjin shot her a glance. “This matter shouldn’t be my responsibility.”
Then whose responsibility should it be? Huaiyu was quite puzzled.
However, she soon found out the answer.
“I say…” Watching him put the empty medicine bowl back beside her and pour a bottle of pig’s blood on the ground, Li Huaiyu had a very bad premonition. “I’m still recovering; can you bear to drag me into this?”
Putting away the pig’s blood bottle, Jiang Xuanjin looked at her expressionlessly. “From now on, you just need to lie down.”
With that, he stood up and signaled to Cheng Xu and Yufeng.
Cheng Xu and Yufeng understood, stepping out of the main house and taking a deep breath before shouting in unison, “Someone! Fourth Miss is poisoned!”
Li Huaiyu’s mouth twitched.
The quiet and peaceful Bai residence became lively again. Cheng Xu and Yufeng’s loud voices quickly spread the news that Fourth Miss was poisoned and on the verge of death throughout the residence.
Upon hearing the news, Bai Mengshi was overjoyed and immediately wanted to find Bai Xuanji. However, as soon as she stepped out of the east courtyard, she was apprehended by Cheng Xu and Yufeng.
“What are you doing?” Bai Mengshi exclaimed in panic. “I am the matriarch of the Bai family; where do you get the courage to lay hands on me?”
Ignoring her, Cheng Xu and Yufeng continued to drag her away.
“How outrageous! Even if you are Ziyang Jun’s people, there’s no reason to bully people in my Bai residence!” Bai Mengshi shouted incessantly. “This is simply lawless!”
Jiang Xuanjin stood in the front hall, hearing the approaching scolding, and said to Bai Dezhong, “They’ve arrived.”
Bai Dezhong looked at Bai Mengshi being brought in, his mood complex as he cupped his hands toward Jiang Xuanjin. “Your Highness, this… is this a bit inappropriate?”
Jiang Xuanjin glanced at him. “If Bai Daren thinks it’s inappropriate to bring her to the front hall, then let’s go to the capital’s yamen. This case should be tried in the yamen.”
Upon hearing this, Bai Dezhong fell silent.
“Master!” Bai Mengshi twisted her body, breaking free from the grip of the two behind her, kneeling before Bai Dezhong with a handkerchief in hand. “You must stand up for me! These two…”
“Meng Shuqin,” Bai Dezhong interrupted her cries, “Did you instruct someone to brew the medicine that Zhuji has been taking these past few days?”
Bai Mengshi was taken aback, immediately shaking her head. “I was reflecting in my room as you instructed; how could I instruct anyone to brew medicine for Fourth Miss?”
“But the maid in the kitchen said the maid responsible for brewing the medicine was sent by you.”
Bai Mengshi shook her head repeatedly. “I don’t know anything; I didn’t send anyone to the kitchen.”
She was denying it so cleanly. Jiang Xuanjin sneered, waving his hand to bring a few people forward.
“Madam!” The maid responsible for brewing the medicine hurriedly knelt beside Bai Mengshi. The steward stepped forward, holding a book of names, and said, “Master, this is the list of servants in the residence. This maid is called Fu Lu, from Madam’s courtyard, and she has been helping in the kitchen these past few days.”
Bai Mengshi’s face turned pale, her hands clenched as she knelt, her back straight.
Jiang Xuanjin looked at her and asked, “Do you still want to say you don’t know anything?”
Bai Mengshi stiffly shook her head. “Even if this maid is from my courtyard, I don’t know what she did.”
“You don’t know what she did, yet you deny it so cleanly?” Bai Dezhong’s expression was grim.
Bai Mengshi stubbornly replied, “I’m clearing my name because I know Your Highness intends to go after me. Even if I stay quietly in my room for two days, I will still be accused of baseless crimes, so I’m proving my innocence in advance.”
“If you are innocent, why must you forcefully defend yourself?” Jiang Xuanjin said coldly. “This maid of yours brewed medicine for Fourth Miss but added something unclean, causing her to be poisoned and unconscious, her life hanging by a thread. Do you think, Madam, you can clear your name?”
Bai Mengshi shook her head, gritting her teeth as she repeated, “I don’t know anything!”
Stubborn and unyielding.
Jiang Xuanjin shook his head, looking at Bai Dezhong. “What do you think, Daren? How should this matter be handled?”
Bai Dezhong stared at Bai Mengshi, his eyes filled with a fierce and terrifying expression. “With both witness and material evidence present, and she still refuses to admit it, what else can be done? Bring out the family law!”